Strawberry Puree

Easy strawberry puree recipe

Strawberry puree is super easy to make. In a nut shell, you puree strawberries, add a little lemon, salt and maybe some sugar and that’s it. Strawberry puree makes a great sauce for pouring over your cheesecake, ice cream or even on top of salads. I typically use it for my strawberry cake recipe or as a cake filling so I like mine to be a bit thicker.

How to make a reduced strawberry puree

To make your strawberry puree thicker, you’re going to want to simmer it for a few minutes. Simmering the mixture reduces the amount of moisture that is in the puree allowing for a stronger strawberry flavor with less liquid. Add reduced strawberry puree into cake batter or even for buttercream. The best thing about making a reduced strawberry puree is that it keeps all the flavor of the strawberries without adding extra moisture.

Fresh or frozen strawberries for strawberry puree?

I prefer to use frozen strawberries because frozen fruit is generally picked at the peak of freshness and then frozen. You get the most flavor in frozen strawberries.

If strawberries are in season though and you need to use them up, making puree is a great option. You can freeze leftover puree and defrost as you need it. If you’re super talented and know how to can, you can make canned puree. This is definitely on my to-learn list.

When buying fresh strawberries, choose brightly colored, shiny berries that are dry, firm, and plump. They should still have fresh-looking green caps attached. Avoid soft, dull looking, or shriveled berries. Since strawberries do not ripen after being picked, avoid berries that are partly white as that means they are unripe.

Anyone can make a strawberry puree. It’s super easy and you know I like easy. It just takes two very important things. Strawberries and some patience.

How to make reduced strawberry puree

Defrost 1 lb of strawberries overnight in the fridge or chop up your fresh strawberries (you can also microwave frozen strawberries to defrost them)

Place them in a small sauce pan and bring to a simmer

Turn heat down to low and let reduce by 1/2. Usually about 20 minutes

Occasionally stir the mixture to prevent burning

Stir in your lemon and salt. You may add a little sugar if you prefer yours to be sweeter. Start with 2 Tablespoons and see how it tastes.

Let cool before using

Should you strain your strawberry puree to remove seeds?

I honestly have never been bothered by seeds in my fruit but some people really hate it. You can definitely strain your puree to remove seeds and create a finer texture in your final product.

How to store leftover strawberry puree

You can store leftover strawberry puree in the fridge for two days or you can freeze it up to 6 months. Fresh strawberries are very prone to mold so be sure to only leave cakes with fresh fruit fillings at room temperature for no more than 2 hours. Cakes with fresh fruit filling can be refrigerated for two days before consuming.

Strawberry Reduction Recipe

Strawberry reduction is when you take fresh or frozen strawberries and heat them to reduce the amount of liquid. This reduction has all the flavor of the strawberries without the added liquid and is great for using in other recipes like cakes or buttercream.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword strawberry puree

Prep Time5minutes

Cook Time30minutes

Total Time35minutes

Servings2cups

Calories146kcal

Ingredients

1lbfresh or frozen strawberries

1tsplemon zest

1pinchsalt

Instructions

Defrost strawberries if frozen or cut up strawberries if whole

Blend strawberries if you prefer a smoother texture of strawberry puree

Place into a small sauce pan and bring to a simmer over med heat

Once bubbling, reduce heat to low and let slowly reduce until berries begin to break up and liquid is almost gone.

Occasionally stir the mixture to prevent burning. Add in lemon zest and salt. Transfer to another container and let cool before use.

31 reviews on “Strawberry Puree”

Jacquisays:

Great recipe. My strawberries weren’t that ripe so I had to add a bit of sugar for taste as they were fresh ones.

Amy Psays:

Very delicious filling! I used this with your strawberry cake recipe along with your strawberry buttercream for my granddaughters birthday and it was so wonderful! 💞💞💞 I’m so thankful for you sharing all your wonderful recipes with us! (All your talents!!)😊

Mine aren’t reducing enough!!! Can you just keep on the heat for A’s long as it takes?

Yes you can no worries

Michellesays:

I’m a little confused about the amount. It says it makes two cups but isn’t a pound of diced fresh strawberries about two cups? If it’s reducing by half shouldn’t it yield one cup or so? Thanks in advance!

Hmm you could be right but it’s hard to say. It just depends on your strawberries. I was using 1 lb of frozen strawberries which was way more than two cups but not diced of course, they where frozen and whole and when all was said and done I had about two cups of liquid. There is also an addition of sugar so that affects things.

You mentioned sugar in the comment on Sept 1, 2018. I was wondering if you added sugar and I missed that in the directions? And if so, how much?

I don’t add sugar anymore. Recipes are always being updated.

Amy Msays:

HELP! I used frozen strawberries, not sure if maybe they weren’t that ripe to begin with or I just had a potent lemon for the zest, but it’s overwhelmingly lemony. Not tasting much strawberry. Should I add some sugar? It’s already cooled. Was ready to add to strawberry cake recipe for wedding cake…

Hi Liz! Newb, here. Just wondering if you can freeze the strawberry puree? I’m making a small tasting cake and thought I could freeze the leftovers. Thanks so much!

Yes you can, I freeze mine in ziplock bags 🙂

Eliotsays:

When I tried the recipe the strawberry puree turned burgundy … the resulting cake ended up being a tanish purple ? Do I need to add the lemon zest at the beginning of the reduction? What did I do wrong …

Strawberries do not naturally keep a red color when cooked which is why the recipe called for a little pink or red food coloring in the batter.

Katherine Dsays:

I am somewhat confused. If I use frozen strawberries there is juice….should I drain them and only cook the strawberries which are still somewhat juicy? If I use fresh strawberries there is no juice/liquid..,do they create some as they cook?

No you don’t want to drain the juice, there is flavor in the juice. Fresh strawberries have just as much juice as frozen, it’s just not as visible because it stays in the berries when they are fresh. Don’t strain the juice, just follow the directions and you’ll be fine 🙂

****Fresh berry warning****. I ended up making this recipe twice to net 2 cups of purée. I used 3 lbs. of berries, adding a bit of strawberry extract at the end to boost the flavor.

I made this and added some Grand Marnier and a little sugar and paired it with your champagne cake and buttercream I added a little champagne to the butter cream as well. Once I finish decorating I’m going to tag you so far everything is delicious.

Sounds delicious!

Loriesays:

Is it possible to reduce this recipe too much. I kept reducing mine bc it did t seem thick enough and basically I think I ended up making strawberry jam but it’s that consistency of nearly jelly like and thinking I may have lost some flavor that way because it doesn’t seem as strong . Is this possible and if it is can you say how long you let yours boil first and what the ending consistency should be. Thanks.

You could reduce it more, it’s not going to hurt it 🙂

Loriesays:

Thanks so much. I am so excited because I remade this for my second time and didn’t reduce as much and my reduction looks identical to yours and berries full of flavor and extra ripe. I never liked fruit hot but I’m telling you I could have eaten that entire container of purée right off the stove.